神啊! 我願意作一個得到你稱讚的又良善又忠心的僕人
O Lord! I’d love to be a good and faithful servant, praiseworthy in Your eyes.
成為可讚美的
PRAISEWORTHY
經文: Isaiah 以賽亞書 62:1 – 12
以賽亞向面對被擄的同胞, 傳講了不少神將復興以色列和重建聖殿的預言。本章有異於其他同類信息的地方, 就是以賽亞除了盡先知的責任, 忠實地傳講從神那裡領受的啟示, 更自我投入信息中, 流露深切關懷, 堅信神的應, 還立志承擔責任, 要「使耶路撒冷在地上成為可讚美的」(7)。他告訴讀者, 耶路撒冷會成為可讚美的幾個原因:
To his fellow Israelites who are faced with being carried off, Isaiah proclaims many prophecies about God reviving Israel and rebuilding the temple. The difference between this and the other messages is that not only is he doing his best to fulfill his duty as a prophet to proclaim the revelation from God faithfully, he is personally involved - he is deeply concerned; he remains steadfast in God’s promise, even vows to take on the responsibility to make Jerusalem a praise in the earth (7). Here he gives the readers the reasons Jerusalem will become praiseworthy:
1. 耶和華的應許 — 先知強調神將來必定使耶路撒冷興旺, 因為不單只「耶和華曾宣告」(11; 這已經足夠), 而且是「耶和華親口所起的」(2), 更何況是「耶和華指著自己的右手和大能的膀臂起誓」(8)的, 那有不成就的可能!
The Lord’s Promise -- The prophet emphasizes that God will make Jerusalem thrive because not only “the Lord has proclaimed” (11; this is sufficient), but also “the mouth of the Lord will give” (2), and not to mention that “the Lord has sworn by His right hand and His mighty arm”(8). There is no way for it to fall apart!
2. 先知恆切不懈的祈求 — 本章是向意志消沉的錫安說的，她有如一個被遺棄的妻子，心神不寧和煩躁。所以先知急忙在第一節表露他的深切關心，他吐露了他為錫安的緣故而不能罷休。他一定要做一些事情來振作其低沉的士氣。以賽亞說他要做個守望者, 晝夜不靜默、不息聲、不歇息地呼籲耶和華(1,6)。他不但像撒母耳那樣「斷不停止為你們禱告，以致得罪耶和華」(撒上十二23), 更像耶穌所講的比喻(路18:1~7)中對不義之官死纏不放的寡婦那樣, 恆切呼籲神, 「不要使祂歇息, 直等祂建立耶路撒冷。」(1,7)
The Prophet’s Continual Prayers -- This message is for the despondent Zion. She is like an abandoned wife, disturbed and irritable. Therefore, the prophet hurries to express his profound concern in the first verse that he cannot quit for Zion’s sake. He has to do something to boost the low morale. Isaiah says that he wants to be the watchman, never be silent, take no rest to put the Lord in remembrance all the day and all the night (1, 6). Not only is he like Samuel, “far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you” (1 Samuel 12:23), he is more like the widow Jesus speaks of in a parable who never gives up pleading with the unjust judge (Luke 18:1-7), appealing to God faithfully, “give Him no rest until He establishes Jerusalem and makes it a praise in the earth.” (1, 7)
3.得新名號 — 猶太人的名字往往代表那人的本性。隨著地位的轉變，錫安的舊名已失去代表性，所以耶和華給她新的名字。(參賽1:26;耶33:16; 結48:35)留意本章六次說以色列人要「稱呼/為」: 首先,不稱為撇棄的、荒涼的(4); 然後, 改稱為神喜悅的、有夫之婦、聖民、耶和華的贖民、被眷顧的、不撇棄(4,12)。神也應許教會: 「得勝的，我必將那隱藏的嗎哪賜給他，並賜他一塊白石，石上寫新名；除了那領受的以外，沒有人能認識。」(啟2:17)
The new name given to the Jews usually represents the nature of the people. — With the change, Zion’s old name no longer reflects her status, and therefore the Lord gives her a new one. (refer to Isaiah 1:26; Jeremiah 33:16; Ezekiel 48:35) Pay attention to the six references to “shall…be termed/shall be” regarding the people of Israel: First, shall no more be termed Forsaken or Desolate (4); then, shall be called God’s Delight, Married Woman, the Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord, Sought Out, and Not Forsaken (4, 12). God promises the church too, “To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.“ (Revelation 2:17)
4. 神喜悅他們 — 4~5節一連四次提到這可能是先知認為最重要的理由。正如約書亞告訴以色列人, 能得迦南地的原因是: 「耶和華若喜悅我們，就必將我們領進那地，把地賜給我們。」(民14:8)先知也很知道耶和華的心意: 「我必歡喜施恩與他們要盡心盡意誠誠實實將他們栽於此地」(耶32:41)
God Delights in Them -- It is mentioned 4 times in a row in verse 4 and 5, probably because it is the most important reason that the prophet knows of. Just like what Joshua tells the Israelites why they are given the land of Canaan, “If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey.“ (Numbers 14:8) The prophet also knows what is in the Lord’s mind, “I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul.” (Jeremiah 32:41)
英國瑪麗皇后生平最珍愛的一封信, 是一個小女孩寄給她的。信封上寫著: 「瑪麗皇后──不是那艘郵船」。
The letter that Queen Mary of Great Britain treasured the most is one from a little girl. It says on the envelope, ‘Queen Mary – not the cruise ship’.
你也許像先知那樣懇切地求神使你成為可讚美的人。但你期望人和神讚賞你些什麼?
Perhaps you are like the prophet, you ask God earnestly to make you into praise. But what would you wish God and people to praise you for?
每日讀經 by 洪同勉牧師 Rev. Tommy Hung
(English Translation: Ms. Lori Wong)
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